Phil Collins Announces Retirement

After four decades in the music industry, starting with influential English prog-rock band Genesis and continuing with his own long solo career, Phil Collins is now done with music. “I don’t really belong to that world,” he told British lad’s mag FHM in announcing his decision, “and I don’t think anyone’s going to miss me.” Which is both the saddest and truest statement about Phil Collins.

Collins has nerve damage in his hands, which is what happens after playing drums in professional rock bands for 40 years. He also has a dislocated vertebra and hearing problems, making performing simple tasks difficult if not impossible. “I’m not worried about not being able to play the drums again,” he said in the interview, “I’m more worried about being able to cut a loaf of bread safely or building things for my kids.”

Collins, who is now 60, lives alone in Switzerland and joked about going “on a mysterious biking holiday and never return[ing].” At least, I hope it was a joke. Otherwise it’s really depressing.

He’s already announced retirement at least once before, in 2008, before releasing Going Back last year to little notice. Maybe all the existential isolation will make it real this time, though.